Cover Letter vs. Resume: What’s the Difference?

A resume is a structured summary of your relevant experience, skills, education, and accomplishments.

A cover letter is a personalized letter explaining why you’re interested in a specific position and how your qualifications match the employer’s needs.

A resume and a cover letter work together, but they serve different purposes.

Think of it this way: your resume shows what you’ve accomplished, while your cover letter adds the story and context behind those accomplishments.

Resume vs. Cover Letter at a Glance

A resume and cover letter are both designed to strengthen your job application, but they communicate different things to an employer. Your resume provides a concise record of your qualifications, while your cover letter explains why those qualifications make you a strong match for a particular opportunity.

The simplest way to remember the difference is that your resume provides the evidence, while your cover letter makes the connection. A strong cover letter should not retell your entire resume. Instead, use it to highlight the qualifications most relevant to the position and explain why they matter to that particular employer.

The Difference Between a Cover Letter and a Resume

The difference is not simply that one document contains more information than the other. Their purpose, structure, writing style, length, and level of personalization are also different.

1. Purpose

The primary purpose of a resume is to give employers a concise overview of your professional qualifications. It typically highlights your work experience, education, skills, accomplishments, certifications, and other information relevant to the position.

Rather than describing every responsibility you have ever had, an effective resume prioritizes information that demonstrates your suitability for the target job. Accomplishments and measurable results can also help employers understand the impact you made in previous roles.

A cover letter, meanwhile, gives you more space to explain the connection between your background and a particular opportunity. You can use it to discuss why the position interests you, highlight one or two especially relevant experiences, and show how your qualifications could contribute to the employer.

The cover letter should complement your resume rather than repeat it word for word. Think of your resume as the evidence of what you have accomplished and your cover letter as an opportunity to explain why selected evidence matters for this particular job.

“A cover letter is your opportunity to make a compelling case for yourself as a candidate, totally aside from what’s in your resume.” — Alison Green, career advice expert and founder of Ask a Manager.

2. Sections and Format

Another important difference between a resume and cover letter is how each document is structured.

A typical U.S. resume may include:

• Contact information
• Professional summary or objective, when appropriate
• Work experience
• Education
• Skills
• Certifications, projects, awards, or other relevant sections

Resume content is generally organized under clear headings so employers can quickly locate important information. Work-experience entries commonly use concise bullet points beginning with strong action verbs.

The best structure depends on your experience, career goals, and the position you’re targeting. For a closer look at your options, explore our guide to the best resume formats.

A conventional cover letter follows a professional business-letter structure and generally includes:

• Contact or recipient information, when appropriate for the submission format
• Professional salutation
• Opening paragraph
• One or more body paragraphs
• Closing paragraph
• Professional sign-off

Instead of bullet points describing multiple jobs, a cover letter uses connected paragraphs to build a focused case for your candidacy. Keep the formatting clean and consistent, with readable spacing between paragraphs.

3. Tone and Point of View

A resume should be concise, professional, factual, and achievement-focused. Standard U.S. resume writing generally uses implied first person, meaning you write about your own accomplishments without repeatedly using personal pronouns such as “I,” “me,” or “my.”

You would generally not write:

I managed a team of 12 sales representatives.

And you certainly would not switch to third person:

She managed a team of 12 sales representatives.

Removing the pronoun keeps resume bullets direct and allows the action and result to take center stage.

A cover letter is different. Because it is a letter written directly to an employer, first person is appropriate. The tone should remain professional, but it can also be more conversational and persuasive.

Cover letter example:

I’m excited about the opportunity to bring my seven years of sales leadership experience to your team, particularly after increasing regional revenue and mentoring new representatives in my current role.

The goal is not to make the cover letter overly casual. Instead, it should sound like a professional person explaining their interest and qualifications—not a list of resume bullets rewritten as sentences.

4. Length

Length is another noticeable difference between a resume and a cover letter, although neither document should be longer simply for the sake of adding more information.

For most conventional U.S. job applications, a resume is typically one or two pages, depending on your experience, career level, industry, and the amount of relevant information you have to present.

A one-page resume is often suitable for students, recent graduates, and early-career professionals who can communicate their relevant qualifications effectively within that space. Candidates with more extensive relevant experience may need two pages.

The priority is relevance rather than filling a predetermined number of pages. Remove outdated, repetitive, or unrelated information instead of making a resume longer unnecessarily.

This guidance applies to conventional resumes. Academic CVs and certain specialized professional documents follow different conventions and may be considerably longer.

A cover letter should generally fit on one page for a conventional U.S. job application. Keeping it concise forces you to focus on the qualifications and examples that matter most to the employer.

Around 250–400 words can be a useful practical target for many cover letters, but clarity and relevance are more important than hitting an exact word count. If you can make your case effectively in fewer words, there is no need to add filler.

For inspiration on keeping your message concise while still highlighting your strongest qualifications, explore our short cover letter sample

“A good resume succinctly conveys specific aspects of your education, experience, and skills to the reader as it relates to the particular opportunity or field in which you’re applying.” — Emily Barrale, University of Pennsylvania Career Services.

5. Level of Customization

Both documents should be tailored, but the degree and type of customization are different.

For a resume, tailoring means emphasizing the skills, experience, qualifications, and accomplishments that are most relevant to the target position. You do not need to rewrite your entire career history for every application, but the information you prioritize should reflect the requirements of the role.

A cover letter should be highly specific to the opportunity. It should demonstrate that you understand what the employer is seeking and explain why your background makes you a suitable candidate.

Avoid sending a generic letter that could apply equally well to dozens of unrelated employers. Specificity makes the letter more useful because it gives the reader information that cannot be gained simply by scanning your resume.

6. What Each Document Should Accomplish

Your resume should help an employer quickly answer questions such as:

• What relevant experience does this candidate have?
• Which skills and qualifications do they bring?
• What have they accomplished in previous roles?
• Does their background align with the requirements of this position?

Your cover letter addresses a different set of questions:

• Why is this candidate interested in this opportunity?
• Which parts of their background are particularly relevant?
• How does their experience connect to our needs?
• Is there useful context that the resume alone does not provide?

That is why the two documents work best when they complement rather than duplicate each other.

7. Do You Need Both a Resume and a Cover Letter?

A resume is a standard component of most conventional job applications, but whether you need a cover letter depends on the employer’s instructions.

Submit a cover letter when the employer requires one. When it is optional, a tailored cover letter can still be worthwhile if it adds useful context, demonstrates genuine interest, explains something important about your background, or strengthens your case for the role.

For example, a cover letter may be particularly useful when you want to explain a career change, demonstrate your connection to the employer’s mission, or highlight an accomplishment that deserves more context than a resume bullet can provide.

If an application specifically instructs candidates not to submit a cover letter, follow those instructions.

Avoid relying on broad claims such as “you should submit a cover letter 98% of the time” or unsupported statistics about the percentage of employers who prefer one. The more reliable approach is to follow the employer’s requirements and consider whether a cover letter adds meaningful information to your application.

When Should You Include a Cover Letter?

Not every job application calls for a cover letter. The best approach is to follow the employer’s instructions first and then consider whether a letter gives you an opportunity to communicate something useful that your resume cannot show on its own.

Here are the situations in which including one can make the most sense.

When the Employer Requires One

If the job posting asks for a cover letter, include one and follow any instructions provided about its format, content, or submission.

Treat it as a required part of the application rather than an optional extra. Before submitting, check that your letter addresses the specific position and demonstrates how your relevant experience or skills connect with what the employer needs.

When a Cover Letter Is Optional but Adds Value

“Optional” does not automatically mean that you should or should not submit a letter. Instead, ask yourself whether you have something relevant and useful to add beyond your resume.

A cover letter may be worthwhile when it allows you to:

• Explain a particularly relevant accomplishment in greater context.
• Demonstrate a clear interest in the position or organization.
• Connect experience from different parts of your career to the new role.
• Clarify information that might otherwise leave an employer with questions.

If your letter would simply repeat information already presented clearly on your resume, it may add little value.

When You Have a Referral

If someone within your professional network referred you to the position, your cover letter provides a natural place to mention that connection.

When appropriate, identify the person who referred you and briefly explain the connection. A referral should provide useful context for your application rather than become the main focus of the letter.

For example:

Jordan Lee, a senior account manager on your sales team, recommended that I apply for the Regional Sales Manager position after we worked together on the XYZ client account.

When You Are Changing Careers

A career change can make sense to you while appearing less obvious from your resume alone. A cover letter gives you room to connect your previous experience with the requirements of your new field.

Focus on transferable skills and relevant achievements rather than apologizing for having a different professional background. Explain what has motivated the transition and show how your previous experience has prepared you to contribute in the new role.

If you’re moving into a new field, explore our career-change cover letter guide for practical examples of how to highlight transferable skills and connect your experience to your new career path.

When an Employment Gap Needs Context

You do not need to explain every gap in employment in a cover letter. However, when a significant gap is relevant to your application and you believe some context would help the employer understand your career history, the letter can provide a concise explanation.

Keep the explanation brief and professional. You can then shift the focus to your current qualifications, relevant skills, and readiness for the position rather than allowing the gap to dominate the letter.

When You Are Relocating

If your current location differs substantially from the location of the job, a cover letter can clarify your plans when relocation is relevant.

For instance, you might briefly state that you are already planning to relocate to the area or that you are willing to relocate for the right opportunity. This can give the employer useful context without taking valuable space away from the qualifications highlighted on your resume.

There is usually no need to provide personal details about why you are moving unless they are relevant and you are comfortable sharing them.

When Your Motivation for the Company Matters

Sometimes your reason for targeting a particular employer is an important part of your candidacy.

Perhaps the organization’s work closely aligns with your professional experience, you have followed a particular area of its work, or the position represents a logical next step in your career. A tailored cover letter gives you space to make that connection.

Be specific. Instead of relying on generic statements such as “I have always wanted to work for your prestigious company,” explain what genuinely interests you about the role, organization, work, or opportunity and connect that interest to your professional background.

When Should You Not Send a Cover Letter?

There are also situations where submitting one is unnecessary or inappropriate.

Do not send a cover letter when the employer specifically instructs applicants not to submit one. Following the application requirements is more important than adding an extra document.

You may also reconsider submitting an optional letter when:

• The application does not provide a way to upload or include one.
• You cannot add meaningful information beyond what is already on your resume.
• You would have to send a generic, untailored letter simply to include one.

The goal is not to attach a cover letter to every application automatically. Use one when it is required or when it gives you a meaningful opportunity to strengthen or clarify your candidacy.

For more guidance on creating a strong job application, explore MyResumeStar’s resume and cover letter resources for practical tips, examples, and templates.

What Goes on a Resume vs. Cover Letter?

Once you understand how a resume and cover letter differ, the next question is simple: what information actually belongs in each document?

Your resume organizes your qualifications into easy-to-scan sections, while your cover letter selects the most relevant parts of that background and connects them to the specific opportunity.

What to Include in a Resume

The exact sections you need depend on your experience and the position, but a conventional U.S. resume commonly includes:

• Contact information: Include your full name, professional email address, phone number, and, when useful, your city and state, LinkedIn profile, portfolio, or professional website.
• Resume summary or objective: This is optional rather than mandatory. A brief summary can highlight your most relevant qualifications, while an objective may be useful for some early-career candidates or career changers when it adds meaningful context.
• Work experience: List relevant positions with information such as your job title, employer, location, and dates of employment. Use concise bullet points to highlight responsibilities, contributions, and accomplishments, quantifying results where appropriate.
• Skills: Include specific skills relevant to the target position, such as software, technical competencies, languages, tools, or other job-related abilities. Along with technical abilities, relevant interpersonal strengths may also matter for the position. See our guide to choosing soft skills for your resume and presenting them effectively.
• Education: List relevant degrees or credentials, institutions, and graduation dates or expected graduation dates. Depending on your career stage, you may also include relevant coursework, academic honors, or other pertinent details.
• Certifications and licenses: Include professional certifications or licenses that are relevant to your occupation or strengthen your qualifications for the position.
• Relevant projects: Projects can demonstrate practical skills and experience, particularly for students, recent graduates, career changers, and candidates in fields such as technology, engineering, design, research, or marketing.
• Optional sections: Depending on the position and your background, you might add sections for awards, publications, presentations, volunteer experience, leadership, professional affiliations, languages, or other relevant activities.

Not sure how many details to include under each position? Learn how many bullet points to include per job on your resume to keep your work experience concise, relevant, and easy to scan.

You do not need every possible resume section. Include information because it strengthens your application for the target position—not simply because there is space for it.

What to Include in a Cover Letter

A cover letter uses a different structure. Instead of documenting your entire professional history, it builds a short, focused argument for why your background matches the opportunity.

A conventional cover letter generally contains:

• Header and contact information: Include the appropriate contact details for yourself and, depending on the submission format, the date and employer’s information.
• Greeting: Address a specific person when you can identify the appropriate recipient. If you cannot find a name, a professional greeting such as “Dear Hiring Manager” is appropriate.
• Opening paragraph: Identify the position you are applying for and establish your interest in the opportunity. If you were referred by someone and the referral is relevant, the opening is also a natural place to mention it.
• One or two body paragraphs: Connect your experience, skills, or education directly to the employer’s requirements. Focus on the qualifications that provide the strongest evidence of your fit.
• Relevant achievement or example: Rather than simply claiming that you possess a skill, briefly demonstrate it with a specific accomplishment or experience. Choose examples that help the employer understand what you could contribute.
• Why this employer or job: Explain what genuinely interests you about the particular role or organization. Specific reasoning is more convincing than generic praise that could be sent to any employer.
• Closing paragraph: Reaffirm your interest and briefly bring the letter to a professional conclusion. You can also express interest in discussing your qualifications further.
• Professional sign-off: End with an appropriate closing such as “Sincerely” or “Best regards,” followed by your name.

The key is selection, not repetition. Your cover letter does not need to mention every job, skill, or accomplishment listed on your resume. Choose the experiences that best support your candidacy and use the letter to make their relevance to the employer clear.

Can You Use AI for Your Resume and Cover Letter?

Yes, but AI works best as a brainstorming and editing tool—not as the primary author of your application. You can use it to identify relevant keywords in a job description, brainstorm stronger resume bullets, check clarity, and identify accomplishments or experiences worth expanding on in your cover letter.

Always review AI-generated suggestions before using them. Verify every fact, personalize the wording, and make sure your resume and cover letter accurately reflect your real skills, experiences, and voice. Also check whether an employer has specific rules regarding AI-assisted application materials.

Resume vs. Cover Letter: The Bottom Line

A resume and cover letter are not competing documents, so asking which one is “more important” misses the point. Each has a distinct role in a strong application.

Your resume provides a structured record of your qualifications and achievements. Your cover letter adds context, demonstrates interest, and explains why selected qualifications make you a strong match for the specific opportunity.

When an employer asks for both, make the documents work together: let the resume provide the evidence and use the cover letter to make the connection.

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